State Assessment of Internal Controls Final Report, May 2007
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H. Washington
Previous Page | Table of Contents | IV. Results of Additional Pilot States: Conclusions >>1. Review Team Process
The Washington State Child Care Program reorganized into a new State agency, splitting off from the Children’s Bureau. Lacking new leadership and high-level administrative support, the Washington project coordinator reviewed the Kansas documentation and recruited other State program areas identified as potentially appropriate to participate in the self assessment process. However, since a member of the Children’s Bureau could not be present at the site visit, it created some initial problems in completing the Instrument.
Due to the organization, the project coordinator stressed the need for the team members to have an institutional history. While there may be detailed policies in place, it is important to have an external check to assess the adequacy of State adherence to the policies.
2. Benefits of the Instrument
Staff from the Washington State Children’s Bureau indicated that the process was very helpful as an internal assessment and highlighted the need to update or condense policies.
The Instrument highlighted several areas that the State needed to or is in the process of addressing. Within Human Resources, staff members are updating policies dealing with employee development and training, employee discipline, and other policies. Because of changes in the organization and the development of a new computer system within the Children’s Bureau, the Operations manual and Practice Models need updating. The team also stated that roles and responsibilities are constantly changing but the documentation of those changes often does not occur.
3. Changes to the Instrument
The Washington Project Team proposed the following changes to the Instrument:
- Making revisions to the Instrument to reduce or eliminate redundancy; and
- Including a section specific to the child care program.
4. Recommendations
Washington Project Team recommendations included:
- Gaining support and cooperation from other critical entities in the organization;
- Reviewing and updating the Instrument every two years; and
- Allowing 90 days to complete the Instrument.